


Unexpected Bad Grade

by a_mind_at_work



Series: Anxiety Laf [12]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety Disorder, I am the angst queen afterall ;))), Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 05:07:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10892319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_mind_at_work/pseuds/a_mind_at_work
Summary: Laf gets an unexpected bad grade and has a panic attack. John Laurens finds him and comforts him.





	Unexpected Bad Grade

“Class, please, settle down,” Mr. Lee said from the front of the classroom. “There are three minutes left and I still need to pass back your math exams from last Friday.” He waved a stack of papers in the air.

A murmur rippled through the classroom. Some kids smiled smugly, while others hid their heads in their arms and grumbled about hating math. Lafayette sat with his back straight and tried to appear confident. He’d spent two weeks studying for this test–– he was certain he’d get _at least_ a B+.

Mr. Lee sauntered around the classroom slapping papers onto desks, leaving grinning or moaning kids in his wake. His face scrunched up a bit as he approached Laf, but he laid the paper face-down wordlessly.

Lafayette took a deep breath. His hands were sweaty and trembling as he flipped the paper over.

 _C-_ it read in bold red ink.

Laf felt the breath halt in his chest as his throat constricted. The letters on the paper fell out of focus and he became too aware of the beating of his own heart, of the way the wooden desk felt to his sweaty hands. He heard the bell ring from far away and swept his belongings into his backpack without a second thought.

He ran from the classroom; ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He automatically dashed to the bathroom, where he splashed water on his face, grateful for once that the water always ran cold in the school. As the cool water lingered on his cheeks, he slowly came back to his body and found himself panting over the white porcelain of the sink.

 _Breathe,_ he thought. But then he remembered his grade and _I can’t breathe, oh my god I’m gonna fail the entire class I’m gonna fail and the teacher will hate me and my parents will be so disappointed and I will never get into a good college or any college at all and––_

“Earth to Laf?” A hand landed firmly on his shaking shoulder.

Lafayette looked in the mirror to see John Laurens standing beside him.

“Mon ami,” he said weakly.

John knew him well enough to see he was in the middle of an anxiety attack. “Hey, Laf,” he said, voice gentle. “Let’s count some breaths, yeah?”

“Oui,” Laf whispered.

John counted to five in French, told Laf to hold his breath, then counted to five for the exhale. They repeated this a few times, and soon enough Laf’s mind felt a little clearer, a little less frantic.

“Do you wanna tell me what happened?” John asked.

Laf sighed and recounted the story, complete with his worries, though he left out some of the more intense ones and mainly focused on his fear of failing the course.

John rolled his eyes at Laf. “Laf, one grade doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail the course. Last I knew you were like, in the top three students in that class, right?”

Laf bit his lip and nodded. “But not anymore, I am certain,” he added.

“Maybe not. Maybe you’re the fourth best in the class now.” John grinned and playfully punched Laf in the arm. “And even if you were the worst in the class, what’s the important thing to remember?”

Lafayette took a deep breath. “I am not defined by my grades,” he muttered.

“What? I didn’t hear you?” John winked.

Now it was Lafayette’s turn to roll his eyes. “I am not defined by my grades,” he repeated, louder this time.

“And you can always ask the teacher for help,” John reminded him. “And you can’t be good at _everything_.”

Lafayette feigned shock. “Excuse you, mon ami! I am _brilliant_ at everything!”

The two boys laughed and John pulled Laf into a hug. Even though they didn’t change his grade, John’s words helped him feel better. They helped him get his thoughts in order. And they helped him remember one key thing: he was going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr for more! @undiscoveredstory


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